Two aligning devices and an alignment method for a firing simulator

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an aligning device for a simulator ( 105 ) arranged for firing and mounted on a weapon. The weapon has aiming means arranged to indicate the aiming of the weapon in a target area. The simulator is equipped with at least a first element arranged so as to emit an electromagnetic beam along a simulation axis, and adjusting means arranged so as to control the simulation axis in order to align the simulating axis with the aiming means. The device is characterized in that it has means ( 201 ) arranged so as to reflect visible light from the beam, and sighting means for alignment that are arranged so as to display a projection of the reflected light superimposed over an image ( 206 ) of the target area in an alignment sight window. The projected light is movable within the alignment sight window by means of adjusting means so as to enable placement of the projection at a point at which the aiming means are aimed.

TECHNICAL AREA

[0001] This invention concerns an aligning device for a simulatorarranged for firing and mounted on a weapon, which weapon has aimingmeans arranged to indicate the aiming of the weapon in a target area,wherein the simulator is equipped with at least a first element arrangedso as to emit an electromagnetic beam along a simulation axis, andadjusting means arranged so as to control the simulation axis to alignthe simulation axis with the aiming means.

[0002] The invention also concerns a method in connection with saidaligning device.

STATE OF THE ART

[0003] In simulated firing with a laser, the simulator emits a laserbeam, or an electromagnetic beam generated by means of a technologyother than laser technology. This beam can be detected by one or moredetectors mounted on one or more targets. The emitted beam, e.g. thelaser beam, exhibits different intensities in different directions ofradiation, which are known collectively as the “laser lobe”. Thesimulated effect of a weapon being fired at the target is achieved whenthe radiance from the laser lobe exceeds, at one of the targets at agiven distance and in a given direction from the simulator, a detectionthreshold of a detector on the target.

[0004] When a simulator is mounted on a weapon, the firing direction ofthe simulator must be aligned with the firing directing of the weapon.This can be accomplished by aiming the weapon with its regular sight ata target that is designed so as to be able to sense the simulated firingof the simulator. The simulator is fired, and the target is observed todetermine the locations of the hits in relation to the aiming of theweapon. If deviations are present, the firing direction of the simulatoris adjusted by means of an adjusting device built into the simulatoruntil the weapon and the simulator are jointly aligned. It may also benecessary to repeat the alignment process if the simulator is jostledsomewhat from its position, e.g. as a result of exposure to minorimpacts.

[0005] WO00/53993 describes a simulator device mounted on a weaponequipped with a sight. A simulation beam is generated in the simulatoralong a simulation axis. The simulator also emits an alignment beamalong an alignment axis that is parallel with the simulation axis or hasa fixed and known angle relative to the simulation axis. The weaponsight defines an aiming axis that indicates the direction in which around will leave the weapon when live ammunition is fired. To enablealignment of the simulation axis of the simulator with the aiming axis,e.g. a retroreflector prism is arranged so as to reflect the incidentalignment beam along the alignment axis back into the sight along theaiming axis. The alignment beam is thus visible through the sight, sothat the alignment axis and the simulation axis can be collectivelyadjusted using appropriate means so that they coincide with the sightaxis.

[0006] However, the foregoing simulator device is capable of use onlywith types of weapons wherein the distance between the sight and abarrel on which the simulator is mounted is not so great that it becomesunfeasible in practice to reflect the alignment beam from the simulatorback into the sight.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] One purpose of the present invention is to handle the alignmentof the simulation beam with an aiming axis that will also work for typesof weapons in which the distance between the sight and the barrelprecludes prior art solutions.

[0008] This has been achieved by means of an aligning device of the typedescribed above, the design of which is independent of the distancebetween the sight and the barrel. The aligning device is characterizedin that it has means arranged so as to reflect visible light from thebeam, and sighting means for alignment arranged so as to display aprojection of the reflected light in an alignment sight window, alongwith an image of the target area. With the weapon sight aimed at atarget, it is thus possible to correct the aiming of the simulation axisusing the adjusting means so that the projected light that is reflectedin the sight window image is placed on the target. The sight windowimage is thus generated at a radial distance from the simulation axis,and thus from the simulating device, which distance is determined by thedistance between the simulation axis and the axis parallel thereto. Thisdistance is characteristically substantially shorter than the distancebetween the sight and the simulating device arranged on the weaponbarrel. According to one embodiment in which the visible light isreflected along an axis parallel with the simulation axis, the sightingmeans include a first surface that is partially transparent to a beamwithin the visible wavelength spectrum and arranged so as to transmitthe target area image to the sight window. The first surface alsocomprises a part of the reflecting means, wherein the surface isarranged so as to reflect at least a part of the visible light of thebeam at the sight window in a direction coincident with the axisparallel with the simulation beam. The sight window may here consist ofa virtual window in front of the first surface.

[0009] The reflecting means preferably include a second surface arrangedalong the simulation axis and in such a way as to reflect light withinat least a part of the visible wavelength spectrum. In one embodimentthe first and second surfaces are included in a retroreflector prism.

[0010] According to one embodiment, the sighting means include anelement for magnifying the image displayed in the sight window, e.g. inthe form of an alignment scope aimed at the first surface. The alignmentprecision can be improved as a result of the enlarged image provided bythe alignment scope. In this embodiment the front lens of the alignmentscope acts as the sight window.

[0011] According to one embodiment, the sighting means further includemeans for transferring the image shown in the sight window to a displaysite. The transferring means may include, e.g. a prism such as apentaprism designed to reflect the target area image a number of timesbefore the image leaves the prism to enter the opening of the alignmentscope. Such a prism thus makes the aligning device more flexible, inthat it is not necessary to keep the alignment scope pointed along theaxis parallel to the simulation axis. If a prism designed to reflect theimage an even number of times is used, the non-reversed image will bevisible in the alignment scope. Here the surface of the prism that theimage strikes first acts as the sight window. The transferring means mayalso include a mirror device arranged so as to reflect the image towardthe alignment scope arranged, e.g. in connection with the aiming means.

[0012] A method for aligning the simulation axis with the aiming meansassociated with the aforedescribed aligning device involves aiming theweapon at a target in the target area while using the aiming means, andcontrolling the adjusting means so as to position the projection of thereflected light visible in the sight window within the image so that itessentially coincides with the target.

[0013] The invention offers a number of advantages over prior arttechnologies. The most important advantage is of course the fact thatthe invention also works for weapons types, such as cannon, in which thedistance between the sight and the barrel precludes the use of prior artsolutions. The aligning device according to the invention is moreoverextremely robust, since it requires no precise adjustment duringmounting prior to alignment, since all the components that do requireprecise mounting are fixedly mounted in the reflecting means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0014]FIG. 1 shows an example of a firing simulator that is generating asimulation beam and an alignment beam.

[0015]FIG. 2 shows an exemplary aligning device for the simulatordescribed in FIG. 1.

[0016]FIG. 3 shows an alternative aligning device.

[0017]FIG. 4 shows yet another alternative aligning device.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] In FIG. 1, a source 104 is arranged in a firing simulator 105 togenerate a simulation beam in the form of an electromagnetic beamgenerated by laser technology or some other technology. For example, thesimulation beam source 104 is an IR laser diode. There is also arrangedin the simulator 105 a source 106 for generating an alignment beam. Thealignment beam source 106 is characterized in that it emits radiationwithin the wavelength spectrum for visible light. In one example thealignment beam source 106 consists of a light-emitting diode (LED).

[0019] The firing simulator is arranged on a weapon, such as a cannon ona tank. The weapon is in turn equipped with a sight. The weapon sightdefines an aiming axis, and it is this aiming axis that defines thedirection in which a round will leave the weapon if live ammunition isfired. In the beam path of the simulation beam from the simulation beamsource 104 there is arranged a beam splitter 102, whose beam-splittinglayer 109 is arranged so as to let a substantial part of the simulationbeam pass through to an optics system comprising a lens 101 and one ormore optical wedges 103. The optics system will be described in greaterdetail below. The alignment beam source 106 is arranged relative to thesimulation beam source 104 and the beam splitter 102 in such a way that,upon being reflected by the beam-splitting layer 109 of the beamsplitter 102, the alignment beam departs the beam splitter along asimulation/alignment axis common with the simulation beam. In theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, the simulation beam source 104, thealignment beam source 106 and the beam splitter 102 are positionedrelative to one another in such a way that both the simulation beam andthe alignment beam strike the beam-splitting layer 109 at an angle ofroughly 45 degrees, and so that the reflected alignment beam and thesimulation beam passing through the beam-splitting layer thus traveltoward the lens 101 of the optics system as a composite beam. Thisembodiment requires that the beam-splitting layer 109 be transparent toat least a part of the simulation beam while at the same time reflectingat least a part of the beam at the wavelength in which the alignmentbeam lies. An embodiment is also conceivable in which the positions ofthe simulation beam source 104 and the alignment beam source 106 arereversed, whereupon the reflecting/transmitting properties of thebeam-splitting layer would have to be chosen accordingly.

[0020] An alignment beam source 106 is further arranged at an opticaldistance from the lens 101 so that the alignment beam is formed by thelens into a lobe, whereupon the lens 101 is designed to optimize saidlobe. After the lens 101, the simulation beam and alignment beam willpass through the wedges 103, here in the form of a wedge pair that isrotatable to enable setting and adjustment of the alignment axis, andthus of the simulation axis as well. The beam axis 107 in FIG. 1symbolizes a wedge setting such that the alignment beam, and thus alsothe simulation beam, departs the simulating device 1-5 in a directionstraight out from the simulating device. An alternative setting of thewedges permits the alignment beam, and thus also the simulation beam, todepart the simulating device 105 along an axis 108 that has an angle αrelative to the axis 107.

[0021] In an alternative example (not shown), the alignment beam sourceand the beam splitter are removed, whereupon the simulation beam sourceis aimed directly at the lens 101. In this embodiment the simulationbeam source is preferably arranged so as to generate a laser beam withinthe visible wavelength spectrum in both a high-power setting (simulationsetting) and a low-power setting (alignment setting), whereupon thesimulation beam also functions as an alignment beam. Regardless of howthe simulation and alignment beams are generated, it is assumed in theexamples below that they are aimed along a common axis as they leave thesimulator 105.

[0022] In FIG. 2, reference number 207 designates an arrangement that ismounted to the simulator 105 in an alignment configuration. Thesimulation beam source 104 is preferably turned off in this alignmentconfiguration. The arrangement 207 includes a retroreflector prism 201arranged in front of the simulating device 105 and an alignment scope204. One of the properties of the retroreflector prism is that itreflects at least a part of the incident beam in the same direction asthe incident beam, but at a distance therefrom, which distance isdetermined by the size of the prism 201. The retroreflector prismcharacteristically consists of a roof prism 202 and a mirror 205 that ispartially transparent to visible light. The roof prism 202 and themirror 205 are arranged at a distance from one another and have mutuallyopposed reflecting surfaces with the same angle of inclination. Analignment beam 203 thus leaves the aforedescribed simulating device 105at a given angel α relative to the axis 107 and is then reflected by theroof prism 202 located in the beam path of the alignment beam. Thealignment beam reflected in the roof prism then strikes the mirror 205and is reflected from same, whereupon the alignment beam reflected fromthe mirror 205 is directed at an angle α relative to the axis 107, butcounter to the direction of the beam striking the roof prism 202.Because the retroreflector prism 201 is used, the beam traveling outfrom the prism 201 will be directed counter to the incident beam,regardless of the adjustment of the retroreflector prism, as long as theretroreflector prism is arranged in such a way that the beams can pass.The precision of the parallelism between the beam striking the prism andthe outgoing beam is thus determined solely by the precision of theadjustment of the fixedly mounted components 202 and 205 in theretroreflector prism 201.

[0023] The alignment scope 204 is arranged in the beam path of thealignment beam reflected from the mirror 205. The mirror 205 which, asdescribed above, is partially transparent to visible light, permits thepassage of an image 206 of a target area behind the mirror while at thesame time at least partially reflecting the alignment beam. Themagnified image 206 is thus displayed in the alignment scope, with thealignment beam 203 being perceived as a spatially stable point in thecontinuously superimposed image 206. This point thus indicates where thesimulation beam of the simulating device would be aimed if thesimulation beam source were turned on. Alignment of the aiming of thesimulation beam with the aiming axis of the weapon is achieved by firstsetting the weapon sight on a given target, or sighting mark, and thenlooking through the alignment scope 205 and rotating the alignmentwedges 103 to zero the “alignment point” in the image 206 on the target.Note that the sole function of the scope is to magnify the image andincrease the alignment precision. The alignment scope is not necessaryon some weapons. As described above, the alignment scope 204 and theretroreflector prism 201 together form the alignment arrangement 207.The alignment arrangement 207 comprises a unit that is detachable fromthe weapon. It is of course not necessary for the scope 204 to bemounted at the reflector prism 201; it may instead be mounted on aseparate frame arranged at the weapon, or quite simply held in the handduring use. The adjustment of the alignment scope 204 relative to theretroreflector prism is not critical to the alignment results.

[0024] We have now described the projection of the alignment beam as analignment point. To ensure that this point will be as visible aspossible in the image 206, the beam lobe of the alignment beam should benarrow, so that the point achieves a high intensity. Furthermore, thealignment beam should be at a wavelength such that the color of thepoint is in contrast to the color scale in the image 206. In oneexample, the alignment beam falls within the wavelength spectrum ofvisible red light.

[0025] It may not always be desirable or possible to arrange thealignment scope 204 axially with the aiming and simulation axes. FIG. 3illustrates a simple alignment arrangement 303 that offers an alignmentoption wherein the scope is arranged radially vis-a-vis the aiming andsimulation axes. The only difference from the embodiment depicted inFIG. 2 is that a pentaprism 301 is interposed between the retroreflectorprism 201 and the alignment scope 204. The prism 301 is designed so thatthe image 206 superimposed over the projected alignment beam isreflected by two surfaces 302 of the prism 301, whereupon the image 206remains non-reversed after having passed through the prism 301. In thisembodiment, the surfaces 302 are arranged relative to one another insuch a way that the outgoing beam is angled 90° relative to the incomingbeam, so as to enable positioning of the alignment scope radially withthe aiming axis.

[0026]FIG. 4 shows an alignment arrangement 408 that makes it possibleto perform simulation and alignment simultaneously. As in theembodiments described earlier, a retroreflector prism 404 is arranged inthe beam path in front of the simulating device 405. The retroreflectorprism 404 has a mirror layer 405, which is the first surface beam fromthe simulating device strikes. The mirror layer is arranged so as totransmit IR radiation but reflect visible light, whereupon thesimulation beam 406 passes straight through the mirror layer 405 whilethe alignment beam is simultaneously reflected from the roof prism 407of the retroreflector prism 404. A periscope prism 401 is arranged inthe beam path from the retroreflector prism 404. The periscope prism 401contains twin surfaces 402, 403 that are inclined at the same angle andarranged at a distance from one another. The one surface 402 reflectsvisible light, while the second surface 403 is partially transparent tothe visible light. The alignment beam from the retroreflector prism 404first strikes the reflective surface 402 and then the partiallytransparent surface 403 for reflection thence toward the alignmentscope, as described in connection with the preceding example. Inaddition, as in the preceding described example, the image 206 of thesurroundings is visible through the surface 403. Thus, as in thepreviously described embodiments, the image 206 is visible through thealignment scope with the projection of the alignment beam superimposedon said image. The alignment arrangement 408 consists in this example ofthe retroreflector prism 404, the periscope prism 401 and the alignmentscope 204, wherein at least the retroreflector prism 404 and theperiscope prism 401 are fixedly arranged in relation to one another. Theretroreflector prism shifts the reflected beam in parallel a distanced₁, while the periscope prism shifts the beam in parallel a distance d₂,whereupon the total parallel shift is thus d₁+d₂.

[0027] A method for aligning the simulation axis of a simulating devicewith an appurtenant weapon sight by means of any of the aforedescribedalignment arrangements 207, 303 or 408 involves aiming the weapon at asighting mark arranged at, e.g. a distance in excess of 1000 meters fromthe weapon, keeping the weapon stable so that the sight points at thesighting mark while the alignment scope is simultaneously used todetermine the position of the projection of the alignment beam in theimage 206, and adjusting the alignment axis, and thus also thesimulation axis, by adjusting the optical wedges 103 so that theposition of the projection of the alignment beam visible in thealignment scope is placed on the sighting mark.

[0028] In an alternative embodiment (not shown) of the alignmentarrangement, the alignment beam is reflected in a direction that is notparallel with the simulation beam radiating from the simulating device105. For example, it is possible in connection with the example shown inFIG. 2 to replace the partially transparent mirror 205 with a mirrorarrangement disposed so as to reflect the alignment beam straight upfrom the shown instrument plane while the mirror arrangementsimultaneously reflects the image 206 straight up from the showninstrument plane as well. In this example, the alignment scope 204 isarranged above the mirror and pointing down toward same.

[0029] The invention is not limited to the aforedescribed embodiment inwhich the simulation beam and the alignment beam from the simulator 105are aimed along a common axis. It will be readily apparent to oneskilled in the art that the invention will work equally well in anembodiment wherein the simulation and alignment beams leave thesimulator 105 in a fixed and known angular relationship, which iscompensated for so that the alignment beam entering the alignment scopeis parallel with the simulation beam. The way in such compensation couldbe achieved by means of, e.g. optical wedges in the beam path will beobvious to one skilled in the art.

1. An aligning device for a simulator (105) arranged for firing andmounted on a weapon, which weapon has aiming means arranged to indicatethe aiming of the weapon in a target area, wherein the simulator isequipped with at least a first element (104) arranged so as to emit anelectromagnetic beam along a simulation axis, and adjusting means (103)arranged so as to control the simulation axis to align the simulationaxis with the aiming means, characterized in that it has means (201;401, 404) arranged so as to reflect visible light from the beam, andsighting means for alignment arranged so as to display a projection ofthe reflected light superimposed over an image (206) of the target areain an alignment sight window, wherein the projected light is movablewithin the alignment sight window by means of the adjusting means inorder to enable placement of the projection at a point at which theaiming means are aimed.
 2. An aligning device according to claim 1,characterized in that the reflecting means (201; 401, 404) are arrangedso as to reflect the visible light along an axis parallel with thesimulation axis.
 3. An aligning device according to claim 2,characterized in that the sighting means include a first surface (205;403) that is partially transparent to radiation within the visiblewavelength spectrum and arranged so as to transmit the target area imageto the sight window, and in that the first surface also comprises partof the reflecting means, wherein the surface is arranged so as toreflect at least a part of the visible light of the beam toward thesight window in a direction coincident with the axis parallel to thesimulation beam.
 4. An aligning device according to claim 3,characterized in that the reflecting means include a second surface(202: 405) arranged along the simulation axis and in such a way as toreflect light within at least a part of the visible wavelength spectrum.5. An aligning device according to claim 4, characterized in that thefirst and the second surface are incorporated in a retroreflector prism(201).
 6. An aligning device according to claim 2, characterized in thatthe reflecting means include at least one retroreflector prism (201). 7.An aligning device according to claim 1, characterized in that thesighting means include an element (204) for magnifying the imagedisplayed in the sight window.
 8. An aligning device according to claim1, characterized in that the sighting means include means (301) fortransferring the image displayed in the sight window to a viewing site.9. An aligning device for a simulator (105) arranged for firing andmounted on a weapon, which weapon has aiming means arranged to indicatethe aiming of the weapon in a target area, wherein the simulator isequipped with a first element (104) arranged so as to emit anelectromagnetic beam along a simulation axis, a second element (106)arranged so as to generate an alignment beam along an alignment axiswhose angle relative to the simulation axis is fixed and known, andadjusting means (103) which, during alignment of the simulation axiswith the aiming means, collectively control the alignment axis and thesimulation axis so that said axes maintain their mutually fixedrelationship during alignment, characterized in that it has means (201;401, 404) arranged to reflect the alignment beam and sighting means foralignment that are arranged so as to display a projection of thereflected alignment beam superimposed over an image (206) of the targetarea in an alignment sight window, wherein the projected alignment beamis movable within the alignment sight window by means of the adjustingmeans in order to enable placement of the projection at a point at whichthe aiming means are aimed.
 10. A method for use in connection with adevice according to claim 1 or 9 for aligning the simulation axis withthe aiming means, characterized in that the weapon is aimed at a targetpoint in the target area while using the aiming means and in that, whilethe aim of the weapon is maintained, the adjusting means are controlledso as to position the projection of the reflected light within the imagein such a way that the projection essentially coincides with the pointof impact.